Horcruxes in Theory and Practice
by Someone Who Isn't Me
Summary: The comprehensive guide to Horcruxes! A fake book in the HP Universe, written by an OC of mine. JK Rowling hasn't officially revealed the method of making a Horcrux, so I made up my own.
1. Introduction

The quality of the books in this library is shameful. Hundreds of volumes claim to be guides to the Dark Arts, but all they contain is a few badly-spelled chapters filled with dubious incantations. Some of them mention the Unforgivables, but those are common knowledge. Others discuss bizarre-sounding hexes that could have been invented by a child. Barely any reference the Horcrux, that mysterious bit of magic that no one seems to know anything about.

Every half-wit who has read the story of Harry Potter and the late Lord Voldemort knows what a Horcrux is, but precious few know its history or how to actually create one. Dumbledore, the previous headmaster of Hogwarts, intended it to be that way. He removed all information on Horcruxes from the Hogwarts library, but made a mistake in refusing to actually burn the books. They were finally destroyed after his death, but the library's publishing standards here have become so lax that I can write a book that restates major points of the old texts (and several things I've learned from personal experience).


	2. History

The concept of splitting or hiding one's soul goes back thousands of years. Many myths and legends contain characters who are invulnerable because they tampered with their souls in some way. One notable example is the Russian tale of Koschei the Deathless, who cheated death by hiding his soul in a needle inside an egg inside a duck in a hare in an iron chest in an oak tree on an island in the ocean.

But the idea is even older than that. Magicians in Ancient Greece were aware of the existence of the soul. In the spirit of philosophical and scientific inquiry, they experimented on it and began to develop a specific branch of magic that dealt with it.

(The Greeks and Romans laid the foundation for modern magic in general. They invented a system of spoken incantations based on Greek and Latin, which form the basis of today's spells. Before the age of Greece, magic was a spontaneous and nonverbal phenomenon. Few had control over it. But that's a different history book...)

Anyway, the Greeks were the first to invent Horcruxes. The name of their creator has been lost to history, but it must have been one of the great magical philosophers of the time. Back then, you see, murder wasn't the crime it is now. People routinely killed each other in various disputes, as well as sacrificing each other to various gods. In this context, the Horcrux didn't seem to be particularly dark magic.

Horcruxes were invented in Greece, but the incantation of the ritual was perfected in the Roman Empire hundreds of years before the dawn of Christianity. The Killing Curse, a necessary ingredient, could only be added after contact with the Arabs that created it. Also, the phrasing of the spell that actually divided the soul changed to its more efficient Latin version during this time.

After the fall of Rome, the knowledge of soul magic was nearly lost. It survived in a few ancient scrolls that were passed down through families or unearthed during medieval times. That being said, several ambitious wizards managed to get their hands on Horcrux-making instructions, though most of them neglected to learn how to create or possess a new body after death.

Since souls can't be observed directly, it can be hard to identify people who have made a Horcrux. Still, experts are reasonably certain that the British magician John Dee split his soul, and that the Nimue of Arthurian legend split her soul once or twice (it is a complete myth that Voldemort was the first to make multiple Horcruxes). A more recent example is that of Gellert Grindelwald.

As many of you know, Grindelwald was an influential Dark Lord during the 1940's. He was notoriously ruthless, as if he was missing some essential element of humanity, and very difficult to defeat. These characteristics alone don't point to the possession of a Horcrux, but there has been other evidence to suggest that Grindelwald split his soul.

Another famous soul-splitter is (or should I say, was) Lord Voldemort. He made a total of seven Horcruxes during his two lifetimes, and by doing so illustrated a little-known fact; multiple soul-splits can make a person appear less human.

I will discuss that effect, as well as various elements of theory, in later chapters.


	3. Theory

The basic definition of a Horcrux is "a vessel that contains a portion of its creator's soul". But, like so many other magical objects and rituals, Horcruxes are more complicated than their basic definitions imply.

For instance, there is the oft-disputed function of the killing curse. In the Horcrux ritual, the killing curse serves two functions: it makes the caster's soul slightly unstable and provides energy for the chain reaction of spells that follows.

By the way, the act of murder does not actually split or tear the soul. It merely creates a sort of hairline crack that makes it easier to actually divide the soul later.

The death serves as a sacrifice for the ritual. In ancient times, wizards would often sacrifice someone to aid in particularly powerful magic, and it is still occasionally done for certain magical rituals today. Basically, the sacrifice releases the victim's life-energy (also called qi, prana, etc. by various cultures). If captured, this energy can fuel some very intense spellwork. In the Horcrux ritual, a modified version of the killing curse carries out this function.

After the sacrifice comes the actual division of the soul. This is the most difficult part of the ritual, and can lead to the Horcrux-maker's death if cast without enough energy or intention. I will give the actual incantations in the next chapter of this book.

Dividing the soul is extremely painful, and shouldn't be attempted by the faint of heart. There is no way to really describe this pain, except that it is both physical and mental as well as very severe. It causes many witches and wizards to lose their concentration and accidentally end the ritual during this step.

Usually, the soul is cut roughly in half. The experienced practitioner making a second Horcrux can visualize this step and concentrate on a smaller piece being removed, but they must be very careful in making sure they end up with the larger half in their own body.

Once the caster's soul is divided, they must say a two-part spell that makes the torn portion come forth to the tip of the wand and then escape into whatever object the wand first touches. This step is relatively simple, unless the wand is touched to an unintended object.

Finally, the piece of soul must be permanently sealed into its vessel. The short spell that accomplishes this step also gives certain properties to the vessel itself, making it resistant to most methods of destruction. (The known exceptions to this rule are Fiendfyre, basilisk venom, and the Sword of Gryffindor.)


	4. Incantations

1. "Avada Kedavranexa"

I sincerely hope you know how to pronounce the first part of this spell. The second portion connects to the tail-end of the killing curse and is said as "neksə".

This curse is cast at the sacrificial victim. It begins the ritual but does not specify the creation of a Horcrux yet. It kills the victim and traps their energy for future use. After using this spell, the caster should feel a crackling aura of magic around them. It is important to quickly proceed to the next step before this aura dissipates.

Wizards or muggles may be killed to make a Horcrux; the magic itself does not discriminate between blood types. I suggest using a muggle, because they are easier to overpower, but a wizard makes for a more satisfying kill.

2. "Anima Sectumsempra"

(ah-nima sectəm-semprə)

Basically, this spell means 'divide the soul forever' in Latin. Readers may recognize 'sectumsempra' as a cutting curse that creates gashes in a victim's body, but that was never its intended purpose. It was first created as part of the Horcrux ritual. The cuts are an example of the dividing action being performed without a specifier, which in this case is "anima", meaning soul or animating principle.

As I have mentioned before, this spell creates pain and the sensation that one is being torn in two. This is normal. The caster should attempt to retain their intent and concentration.

3. "Egressus"

(eg-res-əs)

Literally, "come forth". While saying this spell, the caster must envision only the torn portion of their soul emerging, or they will perform the equivalent of the Dementor's Kiss on themselves. If the spell is done correctly, a glowing sphere similar to an extracted memory (but larger, and possibly tinged with red) will appear at the tip of the caster's wand.

4. "et skafos"

(et skahfohs)

'to the vessel', or something of that sort. I think it's from Greek this time. This is actually a continuation of the previous spell. As soon as the ball of light appears, the wand must be touched to the intended vessel. At this point, the caster's pain should diminish slightly.

5. "sigilum"

(sij-il-əm)

The final spell of the ritual. It finishes the process, seals the soul fragment into its vessel, and imbues the vessel with the qualities of a Horcrux.


	5. Effects

The effect of a Horcrux upon its creator is not caused by the object itself, but by the division and removal of part of the soul. Contrary to popular belief, one can live and function normally with a partial soul. Immediately after the ritual, they may experience a slightly altered state of mind. Feelings of "numbness" or "emptiness" are common but temporary.

Other mental effects are more positive. The witch or wizard who has made a Horcrux is liberated from the many painful emotions that only serve to weaken one's character. The faculties of logic become stronger and the mind is more analytical, unfettered by any morals or restraints. Positive emotions are also muted somewhat, but the other benefits of a Horcrux make the small loss of sensation worthwhile.

The influence of soul division on the mind is well-understood, but the physical effect is one of the most mysterious parts of Horcrux theory. With a single Horcrux, the only effect that becomes apparent is a slowing of the aging process. Approximately two years are needed for the creator's body to age the equivalent of one year. While this is nowhere near immortality, it does make the witch or wizard's original body last much longer than it would have otherwise.

If one is making multiple Horcruxes, which has happened more than once in history, some rather strange changes begin to occur. It seems that the division of the soul makes the body itself become less human, though the exact mechanism is unknown. The changes fall into line with the witch or wizard's hidden Animagus form. (Every magical person has one, even if they never learn the complicated spells necessary to change into it).Lord Voldemort is a recent example of this tendency. After two or three Horcruxes his face began to warp and change, and by the final total of seven his features greatly resembled a snake. This transformation may seem disturbing to outsiders, but it was likely a positive change for him.


End file.
